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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1" B. TYSON.

AMALGAMATORAND OONOENTRATOR.

No. 270,156. Patented JanPZ, 1883.

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(N0 Modl.) a Sheets-Sheet 2.

B. TYSON. 1

AMALGAMATOR AND GONOENTRATOR.

No 270,156. Patented Jan. 2, 1883.

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(N0 Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet}.

B. TYSON.

AMALGAMATOR AND GONOENTRATOL No. 270,156, Patented Jan. 2,,l 8'83.

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U IT D STATES PATENT @FFIQE.

BRYAN TYSON, or WASHINGTON, DISTRICT or COLUMBIA.

'AMALGAMATOR AND, 'CONCENTRATOR. 4

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.; 270,156, dated January 2, 1883,

Applicationfiled January 7, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern! Be it known that I, BRYAN Tyson, a citiof the United States, residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented cer tain new and useful Improvements in Amalgnmators and Concentrators, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention consists in certain improvements in amalgamators and concentrators, which will be fully understood by the following-described claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is atop view of my machine. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same. Fig. 3 is a front view. Fig. 4 is a section of the concentrator. Fig. 5 is a top view of the same. Figs. 6 and 7 are de tached views. Fig.8 is a cross-section of the grooved riffle, showing a plunger therein. Fig. 9 is a detached top view of the grooved riffle. Fig. 10 is a section showing the form of the grooved plate and skimmer. Fig. 11 is an end view of the corrugated plate. Fig. 12 is a detached section, showing therelation ofthe stationary and movable rings.

In the construction of my improved amalgamator and concentrator a suitable frame is made with three standards, A, B, and 0, Fig. 3, for supporting the gearing, and two other standards, D and E, for supporting the concentrator. Upon said standards A, B, and O are mounted four horizontal shafts or axles,

" F, G, H, and'I, Fig.2, thefirstcarrying themain driving-wheel J. The second carries crankpinion K, and the third carries the pinion L and. crank-wheel M, Fig. 3. The fourth shaft or horizontal axle, I, Fig. 3,is mounted on the 1 two standards A and (J, and carries the'gearwheel 0 and cams P and Q Q for operating the. plunger or thin pointed blade R,as follows: One or more of the plungers R, accord-- ing to the length of the grooved riffle to be operated upon, are to-be made fast tothe sliding frame S, and the same arrangement as to plungers is to be made for all the grooved rif- V lies that it is desirable to use; but as a general thing four running parallel to'each other and crossing the sluice at right angles is thought to be ample. By every revolution of the cams Q Q the sliding frame S will be raised, carrying'with it thejplungerslt, which will be lowered gradually by means of the weight of the I frame S. The sand and sulphurets overlying the quicksilver in the grooved riffle, with which the riffle has previously been partially filled,will

thus be prevented from packing. The larger cam, P, acting through the sliding lever N, operates the ratchet-wheel S, which has a crank, T, attached to connecting-rod U. A horizontal reciprocating motion is thus given the slidiugframe S,which carries the plungers R, above described. The plungers are thus made to travel to and fro the entire length of the grooved riffle W, keeping the sands loose, and thus facilitating the taking of the precious metals. The ratchet-wheel S is provided with a dog, V, to prevent the ratchet from recoil in connection with the crank action.

The grooved rifl'le W, with extension platesor flanges X and Y, Figs. 8 and 9, to right and left, can be constructed of some hard metal, and should be placed at right angles across a sluice-box or other device having a suitable grade, so as to cause the water and sands to flow freely .over them. In addition to this grade or inclination of the grooved i'iffle W or the two plates X and Y, the projecting lip on plate Yis about'one-half to three-fourths inch below the general surface-plane of plateX; The groove W should be about; one inch wide and at least one inch deep, and partially filled with quicksilver, the'quicksilver working much better when in a'considerable body.

The plate Y is brought to a sharp edge on the side situated upstream, the construction being such, in connection with the wall of grooved riffle, as to form a curve just below and including said edge. In the flow downstream the precious metals-such as gold and silver-being heavier, will strike below said edge, and the force of the water, in connection a with the curve, will create a back under-current, recrossing the grooved riffle W, during which action the precious metals will lodge in the stratum of sand'overlying the quicksilver, and the agitation given these sands" by the pluugers R will cause said metals to be precipitated onto the quicksilver, where it will either become amalgamated or lie there at rest. The curve below Y 'will also serve another good purpose, which is to catch and break the force of the water, and thus prevent the quicksilver from being washed out.

The plate Y can be made detachable and reversible, so that when the upper edge becomes worn the other can be turned upstream.

The sands and other heavy substances that strike beneath the sharp edge of Y, being thus deflec ed downward and backward, will have a tendency to choke and obstruct the grooved riffle W'for lack of a properoutlet. To remedy this defecuwe havetriangular or wedge-shaped lugs Z Z Z, placed at appropriate distances on the top of plate X, the sharp ends upstream and the thick ends below or downstream. The lower stratum of sand that carries the precious metals will strike with considerable force beneath the sharp edge of Y, and by means of the curve beneath will be turned back and made to recross the grooved riffle W. The precious metals, will by reason of their greater weight, settle into the stratum of loose sand overlying the quicksilver, and will finally be brought into contact therewith. The direct flow of the main current downstream 'will have atendency top-ack and to hold down the portion of sand and water that has been deflected and turned back, as aforesaid; The function of the wedge-shaped lugs Z Z is to relieve this pressure by furnishing convenient places for outlet. There is no pressure immediately behind the downstream ends of said lugs, in consequence of the stream being divided by them. Consequently the water and sand that have been deflected, as aforesaid, will rush to these places where, by means of the pressure already de scribed, they will be boiled out with considerable force. The sand thus boiled out is placed on the top or near the top of the flowing current and carried into the waste. Increased facilities are thus aftbrded for drawing the precious metalsinto the grooved riffie W, and for settling them to a place of safety after they have been drawnin; butowingto the weightandtenacious nature of black sand and sulphurets, oneor both of which are generally present wherever gold is found, and the tendency of said substances to form a crust, the above-described device cannot be considered reliable for taking the precious metals, as said heavy substances frequently form a crust over the quicksilver in the.

grooved riffle W of sufficient firmness to preventthe precious metalsfrom being brought into contact with the quicksilver. The plungers R,

1 arranged and operated as already described,

be a deposit of said heavy substances on top of the quicksilver in the grooved riffle W, particularly on the upstream side; but by keep- -ing them loose by means of the plungers It their presence will not be detrimental to taking th precious metals.

. In order to catch any waste quicksilver that ma-v flow from works situated above the grooved riffle W and at the same time retain a uniform other similar substances can get into the pipe.

By turning the outer end of pipe the quicksilver can be adjusted to any desired quantity. Any surplus quicksilver that comes from above in consequence of wastage and being caught in the grooved riffle will cause a similar quantity to tlowout at the end of the pipe, where it can be caught in some appropriate vessel.

This concludes a descriptionof my device for taking such of the precious metals as will readily amalgamate with quicksilver; but a device to meet the requirements of the day must also be provided with suitable mechanism for taking sulphurets and other rebellious substances.

I will now proceed to a description of my device for taking sulphurets and other rebell ious substances of value that will not readily amalgamate with quicksilver, nearly all which are lost when amalgamatingworks of the above-desert bed character only are used. The following, therefore, is to take the substances of value that have passed the device above'described, and thus, between the two, to materially lessen the loss that has heretofore generally occurred.

In order to work the pulp economically and at the same time save a larger percentage of the substances of value, I first, by means of an appropriate device, throw a large percentage or .thevalueless portion of the material into the waste. To et'fectthis object, the pulp, after running for a suitable distance down a properly-constructed sluice-box, passes over the corrugat-ed plate 0, Figs. 1,10,and 11. The ridges on said plate should be brought toa sharp edge at the top. They will extend up into the pulp, thus increasing the friction at the bottom, and consequently decreasing the momentum of the heavier and more valuable substances, which will settle into the grooves between said ridges. The effect of the ridges and grooves will be to cause the skimmer d to take out a larger percentage of the substances of value and asmaller percentage of the valneless portion of the material, thus procuring a better concentration than can be done if a plain smooth plate be used. The skimmer d is adjustable and reversible. After the top edge becomes worn the corresponding one at the bottom can be turned up. It should be made of some suitable hard metal, in order that the front edge may be kept sharp and in good condition. As there is considerable fall after leaving 61, the water here forms a curve, and thus gives a bearing-down tendency to the bottom stratum of pulp thatisprojected against the sharp edge of the skimmer d. All heavy substances of value, being at the bottom. will, by means of the skimmer d, be precipitated through the openinge into the space below, from whence they are conducted into-thc concentrator. The

IIS

270. 1 56 r Y i a skimmer d shouldstand a little higher than the bottoms of the grooves in the corrugated plate 0. After the skimmer d becomes worn it can be transferred "to render service as plate f.

NVhere the flow of pulp is large a series of concentrating devices composed of the corruthe volume isreduced to a machinery, clean sulphurets or other substances of value ready for the reduction-works.

The concentrations, after dropping through the space e, are washed through the pipeg and deposited in the concentrator h, Figs. 1 and 3. This pipe may be branched and extended around the rim of the concentrator-pan h, so as to discharge at four or more points, and thus more evenly distribute the materials to be agitated and separated or concentrated.

The concentrator consists of a pan, h, having the bottom thereof lower. at the periphery than toward the center. Said pan is provided with or supported on a vertical shaft, 2', having a reciprocating partial revolution by means of connecting-rod j, operated by crank-pinion k, and of a novel arrangement of agitators and other devices that will now be described. Supportedby the circular frame K, which in turn rests on and is supported by a convenient number of standards or posts, h, are a series of rings, Z, fastened to the removable cross- 'barsm, Figs. 5a nd 12. Below these stationary rings are two annular agitators, n and 0, Figs. 4 and 12, having flanges or rims that extend up even with the tops of the stationary rings l. Theseagitatorsa and 0 are swung from the plate'p by the rods q r, and receive a partial rotary motion back and forth by means of iheconnectiug'rotl Sandcrank-wheel M,Figs. 1 and 3. The annular plates or agitatorsn and 0 are provided with triangularlugs t, Fig. 7, on their under sides for the purpose of greater agitation, and these lugs may be arranged to move the sand either from the center or toward the center,or both, as may be deemed best in practice. The edges of these plates may be notched, as shown at Fig. 7, so as to work the sulphurets or other valuable substances to the place of discharge, and thus.

prevent overflow and wastage of said substances. The platep rides on small rollers 24 supported by a ring, 2), on the removable crossbars m. The bottoms of the stationary rings 1 are also provided with triangular lugs to,

Fig. 7, so as to work the sands to or from the center, as may be desired.

The concentrator or pan h, Figs. 2 and 3, and annular plates 12. 0 areto be operated in opposite directions or both in the same direction, as may be deemed best.

The annular plates at o'may be dispensed with, except the rims or flanges thereof; or rings similar to l may take the places of the flanges, and, as thus arranged, each alternate ring may be agitated in the same way that the annular plates 11. 0 now are; or I can use one annular plate and one or more agitators of similar construction to l, as may be found best in practice.

i The concentrator or pan h is provided with an automatic discharge for sulphurets or other substances of value, as follows: The pan h is provided with a bracket, 6, of proper dimensions for the support of the bearings j and k and other necessary accompanying fixtures.

.Said bearings support the piniong and scraper c, the latter by a movement to and fro causing the concen trations to be discharged through the opening 1, Fig. 6. A ratchet-bar, w, igs. 2 and 3, gears into a pinion, the shaft of which has a spiral groove, to, with a lug, b, fitting therein. The pinion-shaft, with scraper 0r raker c, travels to andyfro longitudinally While the concentrator or pan is being shaken.

The pinion itself travels laterally under the ratchet-bar. The lug 11 being adjustable, the pinion-shaft can be regulated so as to discharge any desired quantity. The bottom ot'the coucentrator or pan being lowest at the circumference, Figs. 4 and 12, and the automatic dischargeworking a short distance from the bottom, quicksilver may be placed in the pan when, in addition to being a concentrator, it will also become an amalgamator.

lu yorder to retain the pulp longer in the concentrator or pan, and thus increase the facili tiesfor settling and saving the substances of value, 1 form zigzag courses or ways, d, Fig. 5, to be traversed by the water containing the pulp. These courses or ways are formed by plates 0 fg, which are to be made fast to the stationary bars I. Said plates must be of suflicient depth to prevent the water and pulp from flowing over the tops thereof. I

claim to work withor without these plates, as

may be deemed best in practice. When used the stationary wingst will require more grade than usual in order to cause an even and regular flow of water and pulp through the zigzag courses aforesaid. When used in connection with eight courses or ways, as set forth at Fig..

5.-it may be found advisable to admitthe pulp to the pan at eight points, so that each of the eight sluices will be dropped about midway the platesf g. The water and pulp will then have to pass to the right and left before entering the zigzag courses or ways 61. The pulp will thence traverse said course to the place of discharge at h,which is an open or bottomless space or other convenient arrangement for discharge.

Having described my invention,whatl claim 1sframe S, shaft I, provided with cams P Q Q, crank T, and pitman connecting the frame S with said'crank, theratchet-W'heel S, and devices connecting the same with cam P, substantially as and for the purposes described. 2. The grooved riffle W, provided with tri- Ill) 1. The combination, with the sluice-box provided with the riffle W, of plungers 1t, sliding angular lugs Z, and havinga reversible plate, Y, provided with a curved projecting lip, as described, whereby the under-current is turned backward to bubble up at the heels of said lugs, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. The sluice-box provided with the transverse passage .0, and having the grooved plate 0 on the upper side of said passage and the skimmer d on the opposite side of the passage, substantially as and for the purposes described.

4. The annular agitators n 0, plate 1), and devices connecting; the two, as described, stationary rings 1 l, and means for supporting the same, in combination with the concentratingpan h and devicesfor oscillating the said agitators n 0 and pan h, substantially as set forth.

5. The annular agitators n 0, plate p, and devices connecting the same, as described, in combination with the concentrating-pan h and devices for oscillating the said agitators n 0, and wheel K, provided with a crank and connecting-rod for oscillatingithe pan h, substantially as set forth. I

6. The stationary rings Zl, secured to the 'cross-bars'M, in combination with the concenseri bed. 1

8. The plates 6 f g, in combination with the annular agitators a 0, stationary rings 1 l, and concentrating-pan h, substantially as and for the purposes described.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

BRYAN TYSON.

Witnesses:

' DANIEL BREED,

GEO. F. GRAHAM. 

